Pneumatic adjustable shoe-form.



PATBNTED JULY 18, 1905.

C. D. GAUNT. PNEUMATIC ADJUSTABLE SHOE FORM APPLICATION PILBD MAR. 2, 1904.

3 n uanto: Carieefi fia'eazt,

UNITED STATES Patented July 18, 1905.

CHARLES I). GAUNT, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

PNEUMATIC ADJUSTABLE SHOE-FORM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 795,217, dated July 18, 1905. Application filed March 2,1904. Serial No. 196,216.

To 1]] whom, it 721/011 concern:

Bo itknown thatLOuArm as D. GAUNT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pneumatic Adj ustahle Shoe- Forms, of which th following is a specification.

This invention relates to pneumatic shoeforms, and has for its object a means whereby the vamps of shoes used for exhibiting purposes are given a filled-outand unwrinkled appearance.

onsiderable expense is necessarily occasioned among the shoe manufacturers, jobbers, and retail dealers in providing shoes which are used for exhibiting purposes in show-windows or by salesmen with forms to lill out the vamps of the shoes and show them to advantage. The changing styles from one year to another necessitate the expense of purchasing new forms continually.

The object of this invention is to avoid this expense by providing a shoe-form which is elastic and can be pneumatically inflated, and therefore readily applicable to the various shapes of the changing styles.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof and on which similar numerals of reference indicate similar parts, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the pneumatic shoe-form, in which a portion of the outer covering composing the form is broken away, so as to expose the web. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the form, showing the vamp, which is composed of elastic material, in a collapsed condition. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional "iew of the form and shows the valve-stem and web, and Fig. at is a transverse view of the form as seen from the dotted line at st in Fig. 3 and shows the reinforce-band that extends to the toe.

In the drawings, 1 is the sole of the form, which is composed of non-elastic material and is formed integrally with the shoe-form. 2 is the reinforce portion that forms the instep of the shoe-form and is composed of non-elastic material. The object in forming the instep of non-elastic material is for the reason that the instep of shoes of a given size of any style varies but little, and therefore no elasticity is required in the instep portion of the form, as the shoe-uppers at the instep are drawn to snugly lit the instep of the form by means of the shoe-laces. Thereinforce-instep 2 extends down to the rear and unites with the sole 1, and the front merges into a narrow strap 3, that extends along the central portion of the form to the toe, where it joins the sole.

-The object of this reinforce-strap 3 is for the purpose of retaining the same symmetry of the forward portion of the form when the lat ter is inflated.

The web or any reinforce material employed in the instep and sole to prevent elasticity of those portions of the form is omitted from the portions 4 that lie between the strap 3 and the sole 1 and forms the vamp of the shoe-form. \Vith this arrangement the vamp of the shoe-form is the only portion permitted to spread or expand, which permits the vamp to conform to the various vamps of the difi'erent styles of shoes.

The form is provided with a valve-stem 5, which contains any one of the old and wellknown valves through which the air or other inflating medium is introduced into the form.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. In a pneumatic shoe-form, a sole composed of non-elastic material, an instep composed of non-elastic material and joining at the rear with the sole and the front portion terminating into a strap which extends forward and joins the sole at the toe of the form, a vamp portion of the form composed of elastic material so as to permit the latter to ex pand when the form is inflated, and a valve secured to the shoe-form which provides a means for the inflation of the latter.

2. In a pneumatic shoe-form, an instep com posed of non-elastic material, joining at the rear with the sole while the front portion terminates into a strap which extends forward and joins the sole at the toe of the form, the vamp of the form, on each side of the terminating strap of the instep, composed of elastic material so as to permit the latter to expand when the form is inflated, a sole for the shoe-form Which extends rearwarclly from the l V In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my inflated portion and adapted to approximately hand and seal, at Indianapolis, Indiana, this conform to the inner contour of the shoe, the 27th day of February A. D. 1904.

said sole being composed of non-elastic ma- CHARLES D. GAUNT. [1,. sf] terial, and a valve secured to the shoe-form Witnesses: which provides a means to permit the inflal L. B. I/Vo'nRNnR,

tion of the latter. F. \Vonmvmn. 

